AIBU to wonder why wedding speeches are still so popular?

[PolkaDotted]

Does anyone actually enjoy them? I guess some do but they're so long and tedious. Also I feel sorry for the poor Best man who has to try and be funny, and often they're awkward, overly crude and embarrassing.

I hate them. I hate weddings for all sorts of reasons and the speeches are up there in the top five.

Was at a wedding in 2017 where there were three of the shortest speeches I'd ever heard and they were still shit. The best man actually read off his scrap of paper, 'And let's all raise our glasses to toast the bride and groom', but the bride and groom hadn't provided a single drink at the reception. So that was awkward.

Oh no AutumnCrow. Poor Best man and guests. I can imagine the long awkward silence. What were the Bride and Groom thinking?

Can’t speak for others but mine were terrific, but then my DF, DH and Best Man are all good speakers and know when to stop.

90% of the time they’re painfully awful. When they’ve put effort in then obviously i appreciate it, it’s not easy to stand in front of a room and do a speech so I feel for them. But I cringe so much.

I quite like them if they're good. At most of the weddings I've been to there's been a mixture of good ones and flops, but overall I think they're a nice touch. Obviously at my wedding I thought they were all great, but then they were all about me!

Though not all about DH, as my dad got mixed up and accidentally included a story about a holiday I went on - but with my ex-boyfriend, not DH!

absolutely hate them, we are not having any at our wedding next year!

Been to several weddings recently. I'd say 80% of the speeches were brilliant and, for the most part, very very funny. The rule is KISS - Keep It Short, Stupid.

Mine were fab! My husband has friends that are intelligent and great public speakers though so that probably helps

And also keep them clean ....

It is an opportunity to actually praise and thank important people ... as long as they are short, sweet and clean I like them .

Aww I love a good wedding speech! They tend to be really funny these days and some can be quite moving.

Unfortunately people pick their best mates or brothers rather than the natural raconteur of the social group. Preparation is the key.

@SockQueen - haha! My dad forgot to mention me at all ! He waxed lyrical about my Mum and MIL !

DH did a fantastic speech at our wedding and I loved it. Tbh I don’t even give a shit if anyone else thought it was good.

Depends how funny your friends are. My husband's best man did a speech that was so brilliant, family friends etc still bring up how good it was now, several years on.

Depends.
Some people are terrible public speakers full stop.

When they are good they are brilliant. I've heard lots of hilarious ones and poignant ones. I'd be disappointed to not have speeches at a wedding I was going to. We always organise the speech length sweepstake as well.

Unfortunately I've never been to a wedding where they were kept short. They're always tediously long.

I like heartfelt ones, hate 'funny' ones. Most of the guests don't get your stupid in jokes, we weren't there on that Ibiza holiday and I don't want to hear crude anecdotes about the groom. It's all very sexist - 'look how much fun this guy was before the ball and chain!'

On the other hand, I went to one wedding where the bride had been in a serious car accident not long before and the groom spoke of how grateful he was to have her there and be able to marry her. I cried.

I'm getting married next month and we aren't having speeches, or a first dance. My dad would hate it and I want to make it an enjoyable event for everyone, not have one person spending weeks dreading it.

Our speeches were wonderful, my DH’s mum has recently recovered from cancer and his speech touched on that, it was so heartfelt and had everyone in tears, he also spoke very lovingly about me. The best men’s speech was very funny, a lot of people said it was the funniest they had ever heard, I did a speech too, no way was I just going to sit there mute while all the men spoke. I love the speeches part of a wedding, I love to hear the stories from the best man/men and the father of the bride speech, I find it all very touching. Having said that both my DH and I are used to public speaking as are his best men so I do agree that if the speeches aren’t engaging or funny then yes, they can be very cringe and/or boring. It’s all about delivery.

I love the speeches! But I've been lucky enough to only go to weddings where they've been entertaining. Being tipsy also helps.

I don't like that it's 3 men still although overall I prefer no speeches, we didn't have any at our wedding.

I wrote OH's speech for our daughter's wedding, she was a bit surprised that it referred to something 'naughty' from her schooldays she didn't realise that we had known about!

I literally hate that they’re called “speeches”. I feel like if they were referred to as “toasts” the whole thing takes on a different meaning. And hopefully no one telling in jokes and cringe stories for half an hour!

I love wedding speeches, they're one of my favourite things about a wedding. All the weddings I have been to have had speeches that were heartfelt and touching, and were about people I really cared for. I always love hearing about my friends/family, and the people they are marrying. Sometimes the speech giver is obviously nervous and I can feel the room willing them to do well. The speeches are part of what makes the day unique and special to me.

I think they're great!

Went to a wedding recently where the father of the bride's speech was epic, funny and so personal!

The grooms was really good and funny!